Smoking - do you or don't you?

[fireguzzi]

How many cigarettes did I smoke while typing this?

Im going to say three. You got a wee bit worked up so thats worth two right there. It's a kinda long post so thats one more. So three is my guess.

[blues2cruise]

How many cigarettes did I smoke while typing this?

You got a wee bit worked up so thats worth two right there.

[blues2cruise]

fireguzzi, I commend you for your choice to put your son's welfare and needs over your wants and desires. That is what a good parent does.

Kudos to you.

[Shorts]

I don't smoke.

[sv-wolf]

sv-wolf: let me start by saying your physical sensitivity to smoke is above normal - that certainly fits the definition of skewed. If you find the term tries to pigeonhole you, let me know what you would prefer for your body's exaggerated-compared-to-the-majority-of-humans response.

I'll be back to hit your points later - off to see the Dark Knight and hang out with friends.

Hi ski

LOL. I think you are trying to be a bit slippery here. You didn't use the word 'skewed' to refer to my sensitivity to smoke, you used it to refer to my views on smoking:

Sounds to me your views have been skewed by a hypersensitivity to smoke

That's a big difference.
(In any case, you can only apply the word 'skewed' to an allergy if you are prepared to wrench its meaning.)

The terminology you use is loaded and unequivocally demonstrates the historical prejudice against non-smokers. I've never heard a smoker argue that his own views on the new anti-smoking laws were 'skewed' because of his attachment to tobacco.

'Skewed' is not a neutral term no-matter how you seek to skew it.

And it's not sufficient to say that you personally respect those who don't want to breathe in other people's smoke (no matter how even-handed that view is). Until very recently, society as a rule hasn't taken that position and to suggest that a non-smoker should depend on the hit-and-miss goodwill of individual smokers to give him clean air is just not good enough.

Although things are improving, the idea that smokers in general might even be aware of the needs of non-smokers inspires deep confidence - I don't think.

Cheers

Richard

P.S. How was the film? I've been wanting to see it.

[SCgurl]

I quit smoking on January 9, 2007 after having smoked for 21 years. It was the day my best friend's wife died. She had asthma and smoked; she died from an asthma attack. I also have asthma. It was kind of a no-brainer.

My BF still smokes around me and in the house-I have to admit it really bothers me now. I'm not really sure how I managed to quit with him still smoking around me.

[ceemes]

Gotta agree with a lot of what Buzz said.

Man, I quit smoking and stayed off the filthy weed for almost ten flippin' years. Did it cold turkey too, went from smoking a 25 pack of King Size butts to zero over night, just said "bugger this", and gave away half a deck to some kid at the institute I was providing security for. I actually got to the point where the mere smell of cigarette smoke made me ill. Figured I was off the damn things for life....................funny how life can come along and give your a right good kicking in the family jewels when you least suspect it.

During my second year at BCIT I worked with a project group made up of smokers, you can see where this is leading. Started just having one once in awhile with them while having a coffee outside and going over our projects.

Then another and another. Figured I should buy a deck since I didn't want to be known as a total moochier.......then bought a deck just for myself. By the time I graduated, I was f'ing hooked again.....stupidest things I have ever done in my life, and I have a long llist of stupid accomplishments to my name.

Been ten years since then and I am still puffing away. Love to quit again, if just for the savings in coin, but I am hooked. And it doesn't help that the job is a pressure cooker. Everyone in my team smokes. One of the girls tried quitting, went 10 months, but now she is outside with the rest of us clowns.

Smoking is a filthy, nasty, disgusting and expensive habit.......but still, I've got one going as I write this....

[BuzZz]

BuzZz....I am not a reformed smoker. I am a never have smoked.

And.....when people pass me on the street who are smoking, I just hold my breath and keep silent. No finger wagging or tongue clucking......

I was afraid you might think I was referring to you in places. I wasn't but sorry anyways.

There are many people who do such things here abouts. Mostly the same ladies who are slathered in cheap musk and the Hudderites.... who will behave thusly in groups and then beg you shamelessly for a smoke when alone or in pairs.... as long as an Elder isn't around. And there are many people who have told a similar story about being able to go to restaurants and pubs here. As I said, I can understand their position, just don't sympathize with it very much.... sorry. Smoking offends them. That does suck, but I don't feel anybody has the right not to be offended at the expense of others. And just to be clear, I have no problem with bans in situations where people are forced to share air like work, or around kids, but clubs, restaurants, parks or my own truck while driving from location to location alone..... that's taking it a bit far.

There are other quit smoking products....ask your doctor. There are injections available. It's supposed to be a one time injection....maybe for you it might be a dozen.....

There are products other the the patch or the gum. If you really are interested, your doctor will have information.

So I hear. My doctor don't hear so good I guess, because every time I ask her about it, she only wants to whip out a 'scrip for different anti-depressants and a lecture. But she is a rather unpleasant middle eastern lady who always gives the impression that you are wasting her time by being in her office. I am on waiting lists with all the other doctors in town to get on their patient list, but until they call you and say they will take you, you're stuck. We only have 3 doctors for the county and about 15 000 residents, they tell you that you're lucky to have a doctor at all.

Fireguzzi....

Good guess but wrong. Hell, I can smoke 2 just waiting for the dam dial-up to send the bloody post.

And wrong about being worked up. I was dam near comatose at the time, lol. I'm guessing you don't want to see 'worked up'.

[blues2cruise]

BuzZz...if you cut down on your smoking, you might be able to afford high speed internet.

[sv-wolf]

BuzZz....I am not a reformed smoker. I am a never have smoked.

And.....when people pass me on the street who are smoking, I just hold my breath and keep silent. No finger wagging or tongue clucking......

I was afraid you might think I was referring to you in places. I wasn't but sorry anyways.

There are many people who do such things here abouts. Mostly the same ladies who are slathered in cheap musk and the Hudderites.... who will behave thusly in groups and then beg you shamelessly for a smoke when alone or in pairs.... as long as an Elder isn't around. And there are many people who have told a similar story about being able to go to restaurants and pubs here. As I said, I can understand their position, just don't sympathize with it very much.... sorry. Smoking offends them. That does suck, but I don't feel anybody has the right not to be offended at the expense of others. And just to be clear, I have no problem with bans in situations where people are forced to share air like work, or around kids, but clubs, restaurants, parks or my own truck while driving from location to location alone..... that's taking it a bit far.

Hi Buzz

I only smoked for three years during my mid-20s but within months I'd become heavily addicted. By the end of year three I was smoking 40 a day, feeling like dodo, and hating myself for it.

I tried to quit repeatedly during the last two years and failed miserably. It was only when I started to become allergic to the damn stuff and the consequences of smoking became a lot more unpleasant than the withdrawal symptoms that I was able to give up. I did the cold turkey thing. I gave up smoking, coffee, chocolate and potatoes all in one go - I'd suddenly become allergic to all of them. That was one hell of a year.

Kids think smoking is cool, of course, but most older smokers I know spend a lot of time wishing they could kick the habit. As kids they got lured into it by commercial interests and by the glamour and danger that were projected around it. Then, before they knew it, they were hooked. So, I really have a lot of sympathy for smokers despite the way I now feel about their smoke.

And I can understand how smokers would find the anti-smoking laws annoying and OTT - especially the utter craap about people not being able to smoke in their own vans. But I have no regrets about the ban on smoking in public places.

Yeah sure I totally agree, no-one has the right not to be offended, but that includes smokers when non-smokers finally get to assert their rights to go to places like clubs and pubs without coming home stinking of someone else's smoke or with an increased risk of contracting some horrible disease. It's not just about being offended - there are real consequences to this for people.

But sure, I think the ideal thing would be to have separate arrangements where the needs of both smokers and non-smokers can be catered for - separate clubs, separate pubs, separate areas. But I guess the reason that hasn't happened is partly because governments don't want us dying of cancer before some businessman has had the opportunity to screw enough profit out of us and also because within a so-called free-enterprise profit system it would be very hard to legislate to make things work this way

But I guess that is not my problem. In the meantime I'm not going to complain about having the freedom to enjoy myself and go places which have been denied to me all my life up to now.